Friends have asked me to
tell them how I’m able to travel so inexpensively … so I wrote down a few tips.
● Research different
travel locations on the web so that if a bargain comes your way, you’ll quickly
recognize it as a bargain and be able to jump on it before the flight or cruise
fills up.
● Research the
destinations on the web before you start: www.frommers.com,
www.CitySearch.com, www.Digitalcity.com, www.cnn.com/travel.
● It’s
"off season" somewhere right now. Why not travel to places you
haven’t been on the off season and save 50% right off the bat? Plus, you’ll
avoid the crowds: no waiting for good restaurants, no lines for the best
museums. I once visited
●
Try B&B’s (bed and breakfast). You’ll get inexpensive lodging, personalized service and a local
experience. Ask your host if you can join them for dinner.
● When
traveling in
● Look for
repositioning cruises (search for them using Google.com). These can be a value
since the cruise line is interested in getting the ship from one market to
another. The entertainment is sometimes thin and port calls
few in number, but otherwise still a great cruise experience.
● Any
cabin is a good cabin on a cruise. You’re only going to be in the cabin to
sleep. If you have an inside cabin, then spend your time on deck or in the
library where the chairs are comfy and there’s always a magnificent view. Don’t
always take the cruise-sponsored shore tours; it’s usually less expensive to
hire a taxi or rent a car and then you can customize your shore experience and
you don’t have to be shuttled to the cruise sponsored stores (where they take a
kick-back!).
● Look for the
discount airlines. You won’t find Southwest Airlines on Expedia, Travelocity or
Orbitz. Instead, go directly to www.southwest.com for low fares.
Similarly, there are discount airlines in
● If
you’re over fifty years old, get an AARP card for big discounts on lodging and
attractions.
● When
traveling outside the
● Never let a stranger snap your picture using your camera
if he can run faster than you.
● Take clothes you can wash in a hotel sink and will dry
overnight.
● Use www.google.com to continually look for deals.
The site that had the best deal last month may not be the site with the best
deal this month.
● I use www.bestfares.com to search for discount
air flights.
●
Travel light.
Take only one bag. Take pictures as your only souvenirs. Pre-print your addresses on labels to quickly
send post cards. See Rick Steve’s Pack
Light advice at http://www.ricksteves.com/news/0211/packlight.htm
.